🇺🇿🇹🇲🇹🇯 🇦🇿 Stan/Baku 25

Two weeks in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Baku
An enchanting journey through Central Asia, from the ancient Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan to the mountain landscapes of Tajikistan, and the deserts and modern architecture of Turkmenistan Les mer

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🇺🇿🇹🇲🇹🇯 🇦🇿 Stan/Baku 25 Leonardo Floridia
Relaxation and tranquility
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
A cool breeze, a light drizzle, and the sound of lake water gently lapping the shore.
Relaxation, nature, and tranquility.
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Selfie at 2500 meters above see!
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
A selfie before leaving this wonderful place, characterized by silence, nature, and beauty.
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Lunch with a view!
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
On the way down, we stop at Lake Number 6 for a lunch of *somsa* purchased in Uzbekistan.

A very simple lunch break, but what a view!
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The complicated lives of the locals
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Life at these altitudes and so far from the cities is not easy.
Water is taken directly from the rivers, where we saw many women washing clothes.
The houses are very humble, made of bricks and covered with a mixture of mud and straw.Les mer
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We are back where the trip started!
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
We’re back in Panjakent, where our journey in Tajikistan started in the morning.

Before heading to the border, we admire the local bazaar, and our driver takes us to a local public building where we can buy some local souvenirs.Les mer
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Visiting the Registan
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
A nice coffee with a view of the wonderful Registan. We saw it from outside and at night, but today we can finally visit it and admire its beauty.

Originally, the Registan was a public square where proclamations were read and capital punishments were carried out. Around the square stand three madrasas (Islamic schools), the oldest of which is over 600 years old.

Beyond its beauty, we were impressed by the tilt and misalignment of the buildings, caused by the sinking of the ground over the years and by numerous earthquakes.

The mosaics, columns, and domes are majestic, with bright colors. Moreover, the Sher-Dor Madrasa (on the right) features a human face and a tiger, something uncommon in Islamic architecture, which usually contains only geometric patterns and never faces or animals.

We are fortunate to visit this country before touristic boom, something that in my opinion will happen soon. Consequently, despite the beauty of the Registan and the fact that we are in the best season, there are not many people, and there are no long lines or waits.Les mer
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Inside the Madrasas of Registan
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We enter the three madrasas, all UNESCO World Heritage sites.
In addition to the mosaics, the madrasas have beautiful courtyards that can be visited and that contain small shops for tourists.

Among them all, the most beautiful is certainly the Tilya-Kori Madrasa, the most modern of the three, dating back to 1650 and adorned with golden and blue elements. Simply beautiful.Les mer
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Bibi-Khanym Mosque
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
The Bibi-Khanym Mosque is one of the most impressive buildings in Samarkand, built by Tamerlane in honor of his wife. With its huge decorated blue domes, majestic minarets, and intricate colorful ceramic tile decorations, the mosque is truly beautiful.

In the center of the courtyard, there is a stone Quran stand protected by glass. The reason for the glass is to prevent women from passing through the stone arches. According to local tradition, this gesture would favor a woman’s marriage, and therefore many local women used to do it as a superstition.Les mer
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The Samarkand Bazaar
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
No visit to Samarkand would be complete without the bazaar, the typical market of Central Asia and the Middle East.

The air is filled with the scent of spices, and there is also the typical shiny, round Uzbek bread.Les mer
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Manti and other Uzbek delicacies
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
In addition to the kompot and nan, we tried manti — small steamed dumplings filled with spiced minced meat.
They are served on a small plate, accompanied by sour cream.

Manti are a very popular dish across the -stan countries (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan) as well as in Turkey and the Turkic-speaking regions of China.Les mer
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Bibi Khanum mausoleum
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
The small Bibi Khanum mausoleum, built in the 1300s as the tomb of Bibi Khanum and other family members.
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Hazrat Khizr Mosque & Karimov mausoleum
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
The Hazrat-Hizr Mosque was destroyed by Genghis Khan in the 13th century and later rebuilt in the mid-1800s.

Besides offering a beautiful view of the city, the mausoleum houses the tomb of Islam Karimov, the first president of Uzbekistan and leader for over 25 years.Les mer
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Shah-i-Zinda necropolis
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
The Shah-i-Zinda complex was formed over more than nine centuries (from the 11th to the 19th) and now includes over twenty buildings arranged along a sort of street lined with various structures.
According to legend, the site houses the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin, who is said to have brought Islam to the region and been buried here, remaining spiritually alive.

The narrow, scenic central avenue leads visitors through a procession of turquoise domes and mosaics with geometric and floral patterns, offering a truly unique and unforgettable sight.
On the outside, blue and white dominate, while the interiors vary greatly: some, having been completely lost over time, are plain white, while others feature golden domes and intricate geometric designs.

In just about 200 meters, along a narrow street, it is possible to admire an incredible amount of beauty. Once again, we feel lucky to have visited this country before the tourism boom, allowing us to enjoy everything without crowds or queues.Les mer
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Let's have a snak: Salep and Medovik
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
To take shelter from a thunderstorm, we stepped into a bar.
I ordered a salep, a drink with a texture similar to cappuccino, made from flour derived from orchids. Interestingly, the production of this beverage is illegal in the European Union because orchids are considered a protected species.

To accompany this Turkish drink, I chose Medovik, a traditional Russian dessert made with honey and sweetened condensed milk. Honestly, I didn’t like it much — maybe because it wasn’t prepared well or hadn’t been rested, so it was very hard.Les mer
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The Mausoleum of Tamerlane
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
The Mausoleum of Tamerlane is the place where the Mongol conqueror Tamerlane is buried, along with other members of his family.

The building is decorated with blue, white, and sky-blue tiles, and the most beautiful part is undoubtedly the huge blue dome adorned with geometric patterns that crowns the structure.Les mer
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The tomb (and the curse) of Tamerlane
18. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
The hall where Tamerlane is buried is gilded and decorated with arches and carved niches, which are also adorned. In the center lies Tamerlane’s black tomb, surrounded by the white tombs of his family members.

The curse associated with Tamerlane is very famous.
In 1941, the Soviets opened the tomb, and just three days later, Germany invaded the USSR. Stalin ordered the tomb to be sealed again, and after it was closed, the Russians managed to stop the Germans at Stalingrad.

Even earlier, in the 1700s, a Persian warlord tried to move the tomb, but it broke into two pieces, which was seen as a bad omen.

I took the photo from a safe distance—just in case!Les mer
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The train station of Samarkanda
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Unfortunately, it’s time to leave Samarkand and begin the journey to Bukhara.
To enter the station, you have to go through security checks, and once inside, the station is truly beautiful, with chandeliers, marble, stained glass, and mosaics. It is also extremely clean.

I grab an apple juice and a croissant, and we try to figure out which train is ours.Les mer
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The Afrosiyob train
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
The Samarkand-Bukhara route is served by the Afrosiyob, a Spanish-made high-speed train introduced in 2011 and the first high-speed train in Central Asia.
The name is inspired by the ancient city of Samarkand, and traveling at around 250 km/h, it allows you to reach Bukhara in just under 2 hours.

After leaving the green outskirts of Samarkand, the train travels through the desert.Les mer
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Bukhara buildings and streets
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Compared to Samarkand, Bukhara is less touristy and therefore less polished, with many ongoing works to prepare the city for the future tourism boom.

In addition to a model of the Eiffel Tower placed randomly along the road, there are many construction sites and the famous yellow gas pipes outside the buildings, not buried underground, which are visible as you walk.

Also, as mentioned, the drainage channels are deep and not covered or marked, so compared to Samarkand, one must walk more carefully. Nevertheless, the numerous construction sites show that the city is working to improve its look and welcome many travelers in the future.Les mer
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The Plov: the best plov we tried
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
A little outside the city is the restaurant The Plov, which prepares this local dish.
Plov (or pilaf) is a rice-based dish seasoned with various spices and enriched with meat, horse meat, raisins, and various vegetables.

The place serves only this dish, in two different versions (Bukhara style and Samarkand style). A generous portion costs about €3.50 as indicated in the menu (1 euro = 15.000 som), and additional ingredients such as tail meat, tendons, or horse meat can be added to the basic plate.

We also had the bread (different from the one ordered in Samarkand but still delicious) and ayran.Les mer
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Young guys asking for a pic with us
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
In the central square, a group of boys asks us for a photo!
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Nadir Divanbegi Madrasa
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Nadir Divanbegi Madrasa, in the city center, was built in the 1600s as a caravanserai (a lodging and service point for traveling merchants) and was only later converted into a madrasa.

The entrance portal is particularly beautiful, depicting two birds, two lambs, and a sun with a human face — once again, a beautiful deviation from the geometric Islamic art style.

In front of the madrasa there is squadre with a big fountain and many touristic restaurants.Les mer
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Walking around Bukhara
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Strolling through Bukhara and admiring the palaces, squares, houses, and various madrasas.
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The Covered Bazaar of Bukhara
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Inside this domed building, various arcades are lined with small tourist shops selling socks, carpets, magnets, and other trinkets.
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The Ulugg Beg madrasa
19. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
The Ulugh Beg Madrasa is the oldest in Bukhara, built in 1417.

Although heavily damaged by time, it is still possible to appreciate the yellow and blue mosaics as well as the carved and decorated portal (where, somehow, a cat has managed to climb!).Les mer
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